July 27th, 2009
United Eliminates Award Expedite Fees!!!!
Effective 07/30 you will no longer pay any expedite fees on United when booking or changing an award ticket!
Expedite fees originated in an era when paper tickets were the norm, and booking an award ticket close to the date of departure had real fees (overnight delivery, etc.) for the airline.
However as the airlines migrated to e-tickets the award expedite fees have stayed and even grown to as high as $150 on Delta.
United charged as much as $100 to book an award ticket within 21 days of departure or to change an existing award ticket to a flight to within 21 days.
What’s really nice about this change is that many airlines now only open up mileage seats at the last minute when they see that the seats won’t be sold and when they will reap an expedite fee.
Hopefully the other major airlines will go ahead on match United in eliminating expedite fees.
Here is a chart that I previously made before this change on expedite fees, based on how many days before departure the mileage ticket is booked (No airline charges an expedite fee for tickets booked 21+ days before departure, USAirways offers a $25 online discount through 08/12 and is the only domestic airline to still charge a fuel surcharge to all US originating award flights) :
Airline: | 14-20 | 8-13 | 7 | 4-6 | 0-3 |
AA | $50 | $50 | $50 | $100 | $100 |
Continental | $75 | $75 | $75 | $75 | $75 |
Delta | $75 | $75 | $100 | $100 | $150 |
Northwest | $75 | $75 | $100 | $100 | $150 |
United | $75 | $75 | $75 | $100 | $100 |
USAirways | $75 | $75 | $75 | $75 | $75 |
July 27th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I just booked a flight few days ago for tomorrow with United, am calling to get the fee removed, ill update if any luck
July 27th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
you should never be paying award expedite fees. simply book the award for a date far in the future, then change the reservation for free to the date you need. it works.
July 27th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
@danielz:
That only works on AA.
July 27th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I called united and got the number of the refund desk, and am getting the money back. If you just book one, call and get your money back!
July 27th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
@g f:
Impressive!!!
July 27th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Are u serious dan, you can do that on AA, i never knew that you could switch to an earlier date if you do that – thanks – let’s get booking!!!
July 27th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
@Clueless:
It’s not as simple as it sounds to pull off…YMMV.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Looks like united is trying to catch up with AA’s one way award…
July 28th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
what deos YMMV stand for?
July 28th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
@msb:
GIYF
July 28th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
What does YMMV and GIYF stand for?
(Please Don’t say NKRL or something like that)
July 29th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Dude, click on the link dan gave you!
July 29th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Alright i understand it is not simple – thanks anyhow!